ASU-Beebe Chancellor Resigns: Moore Named Interim Chancellor

BEEBE, Ark. – Dr. Karla Fisher today announced she would resign effective Aug. 15 as chancellor of Arkansas State University-Beebe to pursue other opportunities in higher education.

Dr. Charles Welch, president of the ASU System, said Fisher would temporarily serve as Assistant to the President and focus on ASU-Beebe’s preparation for re-accreditation. He has appointed Roger Moore, ASU-Beebe’s vice chancellor for finance and administration and a 19-year veteran of the institution, as interim chancellor.

“Dr. Fisher indicated to me a couple of months ago her desire to seek employment at another higher education institution,” Welch said. “We both agreed that changing leadership in the middle of an academic year was not in the best interests of the institution. Fortunately, Dr. Fisher has significant expertise in accreditation matters and will provide great assistance to the institution this fall as we prepare for an accreditation review. I appreciate Dr. Fisher’s hard work and the significant strides made by the institution over the past couple of years. Her vision and strategic initiatives have the institution poised for continued growth and development. I wish her nothing but the best.”

In an announcement to the campus, Fisher said: “I feel it would be beneficial to the institution to transition to a leader who will not be associated with the difficult changes we’ve had to make. With Dr. Welch’s support, I have been interviewing elsewhere with positive results. Knowing I will be moving on in the not-too-distant-future, we agree it would be better to start the new academic year with a new plan, rather than make this leadership change during the semester.”

Fisher succeeded Dr. Eugene McKay as chancellor in January 2016 and oversaw a reorganization of ASU-Beebe’s leadership structure, as well as a number of strategic initiatives. She was previously vice president of academics at Butler Community College in Kansas.

Moore has served as vice chancellor since June 2016. He was ASU-Beebe’s director of student success for five years and taught as assistant professor of business on the campus from 1998-2011.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of the Southwest and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Central Arkansas. He has completed coursework toward a doctoral degree in organizational leadership in higher education from Grand Canyon University.

Welch said he will seek input from campus constituencies this fall and anticipates a nationwide search for a successor in spring 2018.